Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban, Paulina Rubio, Lifesavas & Garth

Thu. Jun. 14, 5:30pm
St. James Park
First & St. James Sts., San Jose
408.279.1775
Free

The Tubes

PARK MUSIC:
One week before the Tubes played at Music in the Other Park last time, a gal on stage committed a ridiculous gaffe in stating that the band goes "all the way back to the '80s!" Actually, the Tubes go back a decade earlier than that. At that concert, they decked themselves out in Wild West attire and opened up with the theme from the Sergio Leone flick, Once Upon a Time in the West. Probably a handful of people in the crowd even knew what the tune was. Fee Waybill later emerged with a white sheet wrapped around his head while singing "Ghost Riders in the Sky." It was like the Tubes of old—all the theater and rampant costume-changing madness you'd expect, including the sequined '70s jumpsuit and long blonde wig for "White Punks on Dope." Thursday they take the free stage again and, yes, you can bet that the last tune will probably be "Talk to Ya Later."

The Police

COP ROCK:
New Wave's royal guard, the Police, opened their reunion tour in Vancouver on May 28, and fans of the London trio turned out in droves to see the rock icons back on stage after a 23-year hiatus. When personal tensions led the group to disband at the height of their popularity in 1985, it seemed like the Police and their hit parade were gone forever. But doubts about the band's future were quickly forgotten when frontman Sting launched into an ultra-successful solo career a year later. Soon, the bassist/vocalist was scoring international hits while the rest of the band struggled to gain commercial appeal without their crooning frontman. Now reunited decades after their breakup, the Police are rocking sold-out audiences with a set list full of greatest hits and crowd favorites. From their opening song to their encore, the superstar trio brings as much excitement and rock & roll vitality as they did in the '80s.

Dana Carvey

PARTY ON, GARTH:
Darrell Hammond may be SNL's current king of impersonations, but back in the late '80s and early '90s, Dana Carvey carried the mantel, performing over-the-top impersonations of George Bush Sr., Ross Perot, Robin Leach and George Michael. Other characters like the Church Lady, Hans (of Hans and Franz) and Garth Algar quickly became household references. In 1993 he turned down an offer to replace David Letterman's 12:30am slot, then made occasional movies, but spent most of his time with his family.

Manchester School

SCHOOL OF ROCK:
For those of you who believe you can only get that retro mod New Wave'80s indie-rock fix (yes, that one) through flashback weekends on the airwaves, think again. Manchester School recalls the best dystopian nights of the Smiths and Joy Division while managing to create a unique sound that would have Morrissey smiling in spite of himself. The post-punk flavorings of pop aren't the only hallmarks of this talented local band--Manchester School can also crank the amps and let fly faster anthems that should have all the disaffected kids dancing in circles in the alternative fields of a scene full of potential musical hope and free from the screaming ways of emo. Manchester School headlines tonight at First Billiards.

Europa

ALT DYNAMOS:
Local alt-rock heavies Europa set up at the Downtown Brit for a no-cover and no-holds-barred show tonight. The dynamism and range of this San Jo three-piece is just mind-boggling. Having only been together for a couple of years, Europa kicks out honest rock straight from the gut that pays homage to the first alternative wave of the early '90s, but at the same time cuts revolutionary tracks through almost every modern musical convention. Their initial self-produced release has garnered some major buzz, and if the powers in the music biz can see through the hackneyed screen of what passes for rock in some circles, Europa will seriously take off.

Lifesavas

FRUIT-FLAVORED RAP:
There's not much that's sugary sweet about the hip-hopping Lifesavas... except maybe their beats. The Portland duo joined forces after leading their own hip-hop careers, and they've since maintained distinct styles and voices, but with their power combined they may just take over the world. Adding more fruit flavor (perhaps surpassing five), Strange Fruit Project and DJ Marc Sense will be on the scene. Get ready to get down when this show rolls into the Mezzanine.

The Fratellis

BUT I'M A PC:
If you're a Mac fan, you might remember their vibrantly colored silhouettes jumping around in an iPod commercial. But if you're one of the advertising-challenged, you've still probably heard of them as one of the most freshest up-and-coming bands around in the last few months. The Fratelli brothers (as in Jon, Mince and Barry "Fratelli") win over crowds with their charming Scottish accents and heartfelt lyrics set to grungy indie rock. These are the guys that play the kind of music your jamming buddies wish they could, except the Fratellis have better accents and are making money hand over fist, unlike your buddies living hand to mouth.

The Rot Aways

PAGING JOHNNY ROTTEN:
Dirty Thursday this week at Johnny V's is bringing downtown San Jose the weekly dosage of drunken punk rock. The Rot Aways and the Allergies come all the way from Denver, and in case you didn't know, that place is known for its punk rock. The two bands both do their jobs with quick punchy songs that will leave the dive bar soaked in beer by the end of the night, and possibly conjure the spirit of the Sex Pistols. Setoff opens, and will set the night off, literally. You can probably make a quick buck by betting the bands will play no more than three chords per song and fall into the drum set at least once each.

Hayride to Hell

LEAVING THE HIGHWAY:
What do you get when you mix beer, a standup bass, plenty of whiskey, rockabilly chicks, screaming guitar licks, adrenaline and fast cars? Well, it's either a perfect recipe for a stint in Elmwood or it means that those bad-ass psychobilly boys, Hayride To Hell, are back in town this weekend ripping it up at the Blank, along with those rad boys from Vasalia, the Widders (formerly the Cacti Widders) and the Badmen. Nor-Cal rockers John Long, Mal Wrecker and Joey Myers will blow your skull with their bass-slappin', guitar-screechin' and skin-poundin' sets before they bust a bottle of Jack over someone's head and steal all the women. That's just good clean fun... try not to get arrested.

Dennis Miller

RANTING AND RAVING:
The Family Guy pretty much sums up Dennis Miller's sense of humor by satirizing it, portraying Miller doing a standup routine in which he says, "I don't wanna go on a rant here, but America's foreign policy makes about as much sense as Beowulf having sex with Robert Fulton at the first Battle of Antietam. I mean when a neoconservative defenestrates, it's like Raskolnikov filibustered dioxymonohydroxinate," to which Peter responds, "What the hell does 'rant' mean?" Dennis Miller spun a strong turn as Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update anchor into a successful career as a standup comic, then a not-so-successful turn as a sports commentator, followed by a questionably successful career as a TV and radio talk show host (he's joining Talk 910 KNEW as a host), as well as a lucrative stint as an ad monkey for NetZero and M&M's.

Keith Urban

THE COUNTRY DOWN UNDER:
Nicole Kidman is one lucky woman--that Keith Urban has one hell of a voice and great hair. Rehab? So what, everyone's doing it nowadays. Urban is a "country" singer, but really, he's from Australia, and no Australian will ever do country like an American. That means that Keith Urban hasn't sold his soul to the devil yet in order to get grass stains out of his blue jeans, and thus, he still sings music that won't make you want to shine your shot gun and chew tobbaccuh. Infused with what sounds like Irish folk music and mostly rock, Urban's brand of country is not the kind of country to be made fun of. Damn. He takes over the HP Pavilion on Friday night as one of the Tank's major concerts of the summer.

FTB

F&*K THE BANK:
Local bands FTB and Relapse funkify Saratoga's oldest bank, which is now a bar. Relapse's chill and funktastic rock starts the night off to make sure the crowd is properly stretched out and loosened up--squeeze your sphincter muscles tight because you never know what the pounding baselines of Relapse will do to you. FTB will finish off the night by making sure that South Bay folks remember ska is not dead with a blend of up-stroked guitar licks and funky bass lines. With the killer pairing of these two bands, there's no telling where the night may lead. Be careful, use protection.

Reckless Kelly

DUSTY ROAD:
Want some neo-country? Take those 10-gallon-hat-wearing, acoustic-guitar-toting cowboys and blend in some rock and Americana folk, and bam, there's your new country. Reckless Kelly is exactly that, a blend of rock, folk and country that excuses their boots paired with black T-shirts. Touring in support of their new album, Reckless Kelly Was Here, the band comes through Santa Cruz and pays a visit to Moe's Alley. It's a long way from their hometown in Austin, Texas, but these good ol' boys could use some ocean air.

DJ Fave @ The Vault

FAVORITE PARTY:
Every second Friday The Vault hosts one of the hottest parties in downtown San Jose: the Spot. This Friday, DJ Fave takes over the turntables, spinning hip-hop, house and some of the best dance music this side of the Bay. DJ Vahid and Francisco Murgia back up Fava-Fave throughout the night.

Mad Sin

NOT JUST CRAZY BILLY:
Twenty years ago in Berlin some punks got together and started playing rockabilly in a crazy form we know today as psychobilly. The members of Mad Sin have come a long way, but still stick to their punk, psychobilly and even hardcore roots. They're coming to Slim's on their U.S. tour promoting their 20-year anniversary album, Indestructability, which is apparently a quality they possess. Local psychobilly band the Chop Tops kick things off along with Koffin Kats. Grease up that pompadour and roll up your sleeves--it's time to get rocked.

Strike Force Ring Girl Party @ Vivid

GIRL-OFF:
The big pay-per-view fight at HP Pavilion, Shamrock vs. Baron, needs Strikeforce Ring Girls, and there is no better place to have hot girls compete than at Vivid. The casting call will be at 6pm before the event--probably to get rid of the uglies in advance. The real fun gets started when the club starts hoppin' and the girls get to compete during the night. Four prizes will be given to the top girls, but there will be plenty of pretty, losing faces left over for dancing. Hip-hop, reggaeton and house will be spinning all night long for the Dollhouse party and the drinks will be flowing, so join in on the fun early.

Paulina Rubio

NICE TIARA:
Sinfully gorgeous and thoroughly unobtainable (sorry, guys, she's married), Paulina Rubio is Latin music's hottest diva, though Thalia fans will insist otherwise. But is there really a debate? The success of her self-titled album, 2001's Paulina, should put the dispute to rest. The record sold more copies than any other Latin artist in the United States, and that, mis amigos, is why Paulina Rubio takes the cake. The daughter of Mexican film star Susana Dosamantes, Rubio's dreams of fame didn't take long to become reality. By her 10th birthday, she was singing in the children's group Timbiriche, and a decade later her solo debut yielded a breakthrough hit with the song "Mio." With supermodel looks, unquestionable vocal talent and more than 5 million albums sold, Paulina Rubio deserves to wear the tiara of success, and wow, does it look good.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

NIGHTMARE LULLABIES:
Oakland-based performance-art rockers Sleepytime Gorilla Museum have nurtured one of the most truly organic and underground followings over the past few years, turning out challenging art-damaged metal that resides in a completely different dimension than the pop world and is far too bizarre for tacit acceptance among the hipsterati. As with other schizophrenic-noise circus troupes such as Mr. Bungle and Estradasphere, liking this stuff has to be in your genetic code--it's absolutely pummeling, and bound to be unlike anything you've heard before--but if you share that one chromosome that separates the skronk-metal fans from the rest of the world, this five-piece is likely your new favorite band. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is a little more cohesive and accessible than many of its' ilk, but be warned--while the group's bacchanalian performances may be transfixing, they are not for the faint of heart.

Whiskey Sunday

SUBVERTING TIME:
When you come across some little sonic flotsam from these San Jo punks, it immediately rips you back in time with '80s-style hardcore riffs from a double guitar attack and vocals that make you want to wipe a smirk off someone's face with your fist... that's pretty much Whiskey Sunday in a nutshell. Their sound harkens to a lost era of punk rock when there were melodies discernable through the loud and fast noise pollution. These venerable local punks team up at the Blank with throwback So-Cal punkers D.I., plus opening work from Touch My Rash, a local outfit that's rising fast in the punk scene.

Diva @ The Vault

BRING IN THE CLOWNS:
The Vault invites classy divas and dudes to live fast and rock hard on Saturday night when the club transforms into a Diva party night. DJ Shift takes over the main room spinning rock, '80s pop and, of course, hip-hop to the beautiful people in the Vault. Resident DJs Nasty Nick, David Q and Reckid will be spinning throughout the night to make sure things stay hot and heavy. Diva is an extra special party, as the Vault's very own Joe Murguia is celebrating his birthday and DJ Francisco Murguia will be spinning a special house set. In the back room, DJ Mein, keeps things light with hip-hop and top 40. There's so much going on at the Vault, it's almost like a circus.

Autumn Sara

FACE OFF:
San Francisco is sending Autumn Sara to San Jose to show the South Bay what we're missing. Formed by a group of experienced artists from other bands, Autumn Sara's fierce rock is meant to rock faces off while pushing folks into the ground with gut-shaking bass. The Devil Himself will be traveling in from Santa Cruz to help kick things off, along with Marauding and Memphis Murder Men. Johnny V's just never stops bringing San Jose awesome rock shows that cost almost nothing, but this is one that won't be back soon.

O.A.R.

ROWING ALONG:
With more than 10 years of playing music under their belts, O.A.R. is still at it and touring the nation this summer. The island-rock sound of the '90s is commemorated on their most recent album, Live from Madison Square Garden, that was released June 5. The Warfield show is an excellent opportunity to catch the band in one of the more intimate venues on their tour, and although they released an album of old songs, have no fear that they have tons of new material to play for fans.

House Nation

GET HOUSED:
DJ Saint John--no relation to the religious figure--was one of the first guys getting underground house on radio airwaves. His endeavors came to a head with House Nation, a dance night that has rocked some of the biggest venues in the Bay Area. Now it's Cuccini's turn to feel the love that is house music throughout their two floors, hookah lounge and outdoor patio. If you feel any pulsating under your feet downtown on Saturday night, don't worry, it's probably just Cuccini.

Alice's Summerthing

FREEBIE:
Every radio station seems to have their summer event with all the major bands they can wrangle into one event, and then they have to name it something catchy so listeners don't get tired of hearing the same thing every five minutes on the radio. Check and check for San Francisco–based station Alice 97.3FM , which has arranged an event with Smash Mouth, Everclear and Mat Kearney. Think about dad this Father's Day and bring him to see some of your favorite rock bands of the '90s--you didn't bond with him over it then, so give it a go now.

Playtime: Father's Day Edition

FAMILY-FRIENDLY:
It's not often that Taste Ultra Lounge events are kid-friendly, but why not get those little tykes used to the club life early? This Father's Day, Taste is serving up authentic Mexican food while DJ Brotha Reese keeps things kid- (and dad-) friendly on the turntables. The club puts the "play" in "playtime" with a bounce house, face painting, dunk tanks, balloons, sno-cones and cotton candy. Sounds like kid's stuff? No way, these are the kind of things dads need on Father's Day.

The Samples

POLICE CHASE:
Since their formation in 1987, the Samples have been playing a mix of jam-band and alternative rock. Like any band that's been around for 20 years they've had their ups and downs, but they're better than ever on this most recent tour. Appropriately the band is playing the Attic in Santa Cruz, the perfect chill city in the South Bay to enjoy a band like the Samples, who sound similar to the Police of the '80s.Since the Police are on tour, it's perfect timing for the Samples to do likewise. Catch them while they're still kicking.

Gwen Stefani

SWEET ESCAPISM:
No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani has been fluttering around solo the last few years, and any remnants of her punk-rock past have all but vanished in a cloud of pop. Sure, she's probably lost a few fans along the way--someone's going to be bitter about having to reminisce about the good ol' days of No Doubt's ska-inspired sound. But more likely than not, most of us are guilty for actually enjoying the '80s-inspired disco-dance music on Stefani's last two albums. Her latest release, The Sweet Escape, is chock full of infectious club beats and catchy choruses, and given the success of her solo debut (multi-platinum, to be exact), it's no wonder she follows the same formula on this one. The title track, featuring Akon, woo-hoos and yee-hoos in a manner oh so pop-tastic, while the introspective "Orange County Girl" recalls adolescence in a way only Gwen Stefani could, which is to say, very sweetly. See Gwen along with Akon and Lady Sovereign on the Sweet Escape Tour. And don't worry, your girlfriend won't laugh at you--she wants to go too.

Roger Waters

TOTAL ECLIPSE:
A scant 33 years ago, Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon, and it spent two years in the Top 200, raised the bar to which all other rock albums were measured, and changedthe entire drugscape for the rest of the '70s. All of the writing credits to what many perceive to be Pink Floyd's magnum opus are credited to Roger Waters, and he'll be performing the seminal album in its entirety for this show in Oakland. Like many Pink Floyd albums, Dark Side of the Moon touches on the struggles of individuals within society, the pressures of life, greed, death and--one of the basic thematic elements underlying all of Floyd's work--the eventual insanity of founding member Syd Barrett.

Sage Francis

A HEALTHY DISTRUST:
With politically tinged rebellious lyrics and emotionally poignant rhymes, Sage Francis uses the First Amendment to his full musical advantage like other rappers use Cristal and Escalades to bolster their image. He deconstructs hypocrisy while breaking down the more personal aspects of both his life and rap culture, all of which has garnered Sage Francis a reputation as either hip-hop's doom or its savior, depending on whom you ask. One thing's for certain, this battle MC doesn't take any smack and never stays quiet.

Smashing Pumpkins

ZEITGEIST:
After nearly a seven year hiatus, Smashing Pumpkins are heading back to the stage. In the early '90s, Billy Corgan and company almost singlehandedly defined the alternative rock genre with their seminal release Gish that was followed up with the even more stellar sophomore release, Siamese Dream. If you followed the Samshing Pumpkins from there on out, it seemed as though the Chicago based foursome wholeheatedly traded in their scathing, alt-rock fire for some cool goth duds and a whole slew of disappointment. Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin are all that's left of the original lineup and we believe that the Pumpkins just won't sound the same without guitarist James Iha and D'arcy on bass, but, a string of 10 shows at the Fillmore lasting until early August, says otherwise.